Coffee

Part Twelve: The Hard Road Taken

Explaining death to a nine year old was the last thing I wanted to do today. But the parents shouldn't have to do it.

So I did.

Tiana's cancer is back.

Stevie's dead.

And.

Max is heading down this road of pain and suffering.

I got a message from Iggy that everyone was helping out with his community garden on the roof of his building, so as I make my way up there, I feel my body ache with every step and my heart break with every breath. Tears slowly come to my eyes and threaten to break. How do I get used to taking the hard road? I know eventually that will be everything I do. Especially when it comes to Max. How am I going to cure him and keep a hopeful smile on my face?

I don't know if I can.

Opening the roof's door, I walk out and see all of my friends laughing, drinking, and planting. I see Max putting a fern in a pot and when he notices me, he comes over with two beers and hands me one. He sees how upset I am and I can tell he wants to hold me, but he won't. Not here. Not for everyone to see.

"You okay?" He asks, his eyes telling me he's here for me.

"I took the hard road." I look up at him and he sadly smiles.

"And?"

"Better views." I say and he smiles softly. Leading me over to the rest of the group, we grab some plants and find empty pots. He soars a bit away from me so not to draw attention to us and everyone continues planting.

"So Helen..." Lauren starts to say as she plants a begonia. "Whatever happened with Tinder guy?"

Oh shut up.

Max, along with everyone else looks at me and I don't know what to say.

"Wait? What? You're on Tinder?" Casey asks with a bit of excitement on his voice. "I'm surprised I didn't see your profile."

"Well you wouldn't know it was her exactly. See, She was fighting me on making one, but I made one for her under a Tag name- no pictures of her face, very minimal information." Casey takes out his phone.

"Which picture? Maybe I've seen it." Oh Lord, help me please. Max kinda smirks and Lauren just keeps yapping.

"A picture of the Eiffle tower."

"So have you gotten many matches?" Reynolds asks and the attention is once again on me.

"She got one that I know of. She was going to delete the app, but I started chatting to the guy for her." I look at Max and he kind of looks upset a bit. Is it because I was going to delete the app or because it was Lauren he originally started talking too. "So, Helen?"

"It's none of your business, really."

"Come on!!" Everyone besides Max says and I just continue potting my chrysanthemum. They need to stop prying. It's none of their business if Max and I are still talking or seeing each other. Without realizing it, Lauren gets in my lab coat pocket and takes my phone out.

"Oooooo!!!! Says here you two went to a concert together!!" My eyes widen and I go to snatch my phone from her but she tosses it to Reynolds.

"Motörhead? Oo, rocking out with ya Tinder Dude." I go to take it from him and he tosses the phone to Iggy.

"Let's see if we can find a name...." He starts scrolling and as I go to grab it from him, he tosses it to Casey.

"His name is M...." Max gets up and takes the phone from him just in time and everyone looks at him as he walks it over to me and hands it to me- his eyes slightly infuriated and yet relieved.